When I look back on freshman year, I honestly remember everything. It makes me think back on nervously rushing to classes to avoid being late, being absolutely terrified to talk to people, having long brown hair, and worrying way too much about what people thought of me. I worried about boys (and girls too but I didn’t tell anyone but Samantha) and if people would talk to me in class and I didn’t pay attention too much to my grades. Don’t even get me started on that last part… anyways, I think I rushed growing up. Mainly throughout high school. I had my first job at 13 and moved out of my childhood room up to an attic at 15 basically living by myself. I was ready to get out of Knoch when I was just in 9th grade, and I was too scared to make more than 3 friends, to go out of my comfort zone, and take a second to enjoy the last four years I had with these people I’ve gone to school with since 6th grade. Don’t get me wrong, I am SO glad I’m graduating because I think I’ve spent too much time here, but I am going to miss a few things. (maybe)

I got involved with pretty much just Knochettes and newspaper, but spending at least three periods a day in Ms.Thompson’s room, six this year, has made a significant impact on everything. I remember when I first met everyone else in my first newspaper class sophomore year I was terrified. Most of them were seniors and there was this quiet and kinda scary girl named Natalie that my at the time boyfriend was into. I never really talked to her because she intimidated me and now we’re editor and co-editor who never turn anything in on time, even this last “article”. And believe it or not, spending like 5 hours in one class a day makes you meet quite a few people. I really didn’t come out of my shell until halfway through junior year and I’m going to blame Ms. T. for me going from quiet and keeping to myself to being super annoying. She scared me at the time when I took my first print media class because she was loud and seemed like she would smack me if she wanted to. She could. I’ve spent more time with her over the past four years than I have in the past five with my mother and she’s one of the only people I can actually go-to for anything. I have honestly made some of my favorite memories at this school. I’m going to miss all the band trips and staying at sketchy hotels, watching The Muppets with Samantha, overhearing conversations about school drama, being excited to see everyone again on the first day of school, gossiping with Ava every morning, and endless other things. 

Over the years I turned from the girl with long hair who went to church to a “bad influence” according to a couple of people. It sounds like it would be a bad thing, but through the years, I learned to not care as much what other people think of me, to do my own thing, and not be friends with people who couldn’t give less of a crap about you. I didn’t learn honestly any math throughout high school, BUT I had some occasional fun and met some of my favorite people ever. Just enjoy the time you have; I never expected to be sad about leaving the place I’ve been trying to get out of for years.